Homework assignment 3 Differential Geometry I, Fall 2013

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 3

1. Bookkeeping questions

If you would like feedback on your work on some or all of these questions, please hand your written solutions
to your course assistant or put them into their mailbox in HG F 28 by Friday October 18.

Exercise 1.1. True or false? Give a proof or provide a counterexample.

(i) There is a diffeomorphism ϕ : R2 → R2 such that ϕ({x ∈ R2 : |x| ≤ 1}) = [−1, 1]2 .
(ii) {x ∈ Rm : |x| ≤ 1} is homeomorphic to Rm .
(iii) {x ∈ Rm : |x| < 1} is diffeomorphic to Rm .
(iv) Challenge: Every non-empty open bounded starshaped subset of Rm is diffeomorphic to Rm .

Solution:

(i) False. The boundary of the circle in R2 may be parametrized by a regular curve c : R → R2 and
composing c with ϕ would give us a regular parametrization of the boundary of [−1, 1]2 , a contradiction
to HW2, Exercise 1.2, (iii). Here we use the following: Let ϕ : Uα → Uβ be a diffeomorphism between
open sets Uα , Uβ ∈ Rn . If A ⊂ Uα is an arbitrary set and B = ϕ(A) ⊂ Uβ its image, then ϕ maps
interior points of A to interior points of B. This follows from the inverse function theorem. In particular
ϕ restricts to a diffeomorphism from the interior of A to the interior of B. If additionally A and B are
closed, we see immediately that ϕ induces a bijection between the boundary of A and the boundary of
B, which is the statement we use above.
(ii) False. They are not homeomorphic, as the first set is compact (bounded and closed) and the second is
not. √
x −1+ 1+4|y|2
(iii) True. A diffeomorphism is given by x 7→ 1−|x|2 . Its inverse is y 7→ 2|y|2 y.

Exercise 1.2. [Helix] Show that the curve c : R → R3 given by t 7→ (cos t, sin t, t) is Frénet and compute its
curvature and torsion. Hint: Start by finding a unit speed parametrization of this curve.

√
Solution: The diffeomorphism ψ : R → R given by s 7→ s/ 2 is such that c ◦ ψ : R → R3 has unit speed.
We will compute curvature and torsion in this parametrization. In other words, we redefine the curve by

Date: October 18, 2013.

Please do not hesitate to consult your assistant if you need help.

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Homework assignment 3 Differential Geometry I, Fall 2013

s 7→ (cos √s2 , sin √s2 , √s2 ). We compute that

1 s s
(1) e1 = T = √ (− sin √ , cos √ , 1)
2 2 2
s s
(2) e2 = N = e01 /|e01 | = (− cos √ , − sin √ , 0)
2 2
1 s s
(3) e3 = B = e1 × e2 = √ (sin √ , − cos √ , 1)
2 2 2
and from it and the Frénet formulae that κ = e2 · e01 = 1/2 and τ = e02 · e3 = 1/2.

Exercise 1.3. [Derivations] Let U ⊂ Rm be open. A derivation on U is a linear map D : C ∞ (U ) → C ∞ (U )

that satisfies the Leibniz rule

D(f g) = (Df )g + f (Dg) for all f, g ∈ C ∞ (U ).

Pm
Let X = i=1 X i ∂i ∈ X(U ) be a tangent field. Note that DX : C ∞ (U ) → C ∞ (U ) given by f 7→ Xf =
Pm i
i=1 X ∂i f is a derivation. The goal of this exercise is to show that every derivation on U is of this form.
Pm
To see this, let D be a derivation on U . Let X = i=1 (Dxi )∂i ∈ X(U ). Show that indeed D = DX by filling
in the following steps.

(i) Show that D1 = 0.

(ii) Fix x0 ∈ U and f ∈ C ∞ (U ). Show that there exist smooth functions qij ∈ C ∞ (U ) such that
m
X m
X
f (x) = f (x0 ) + (∂i f )(x0 )(xi − xi0 ) + qij (x)(xi − xi0 )(xj − xj0 ).
i=1 i,j=1

Hint: Hadamard’s lemma.

Pm
(iii) Deduce that (Df )(x0 ) = i=1 (∂i f )(x0 )(Dxi )(x0 ) = (DX f )(x0 ) and conclude.

Pm Pm
Solution: DX is a derivation, because DX (f g) = i=1 X i ∂i (f g) = X i (g(∂i f ) + f (∂i g)) = gDX (f ) +
Pi=1
m
f DX (g). For a given derivation D on U assume that we have X = i=1 X i ∂i ∈ X(U ) such that D = DX .
Pm
Then in particular Dxi = DX xi = j=1 X j Dj (xi ) = X i , which proves the claimed uniqueness of X.

(i) D1 = D(1 · 1) = 1D1 + 1D1. Substracting D1 gives D1 = 0.

(ii) Fix x0 ∈ U and f ∈ C ∞ (U ). By Hadamard’s lemma there exist functions p1 , . . . , pm ∈ C ∞ (U ) such
that
m
X
f (x) = f (x0 ) + pi (x)(xi − xi0 ).
i=1
with pi (x0 ) = (∂i f )(x0 ). Applying Hadamard’s lemma to the functions pi there exist qij ∈ C ∞ (U )
Pm
such that pi (x) = (∂i f )(x0 ) + j=1 qij (x)(xj − xj0 ). Inserting gives the desired result.
(iii) From the R-linearity of D and (i) it follows immediately that D vanishes on arbitrary constant functions.
If on the other hand f, g ∈ C ∞ (U ) vanish at x0 , the Leibnitz rule immediately gives D(f g)(x0 ) = 0.
Note that qij (x)(xi − xi0 ) (xj − xj0 ) is exactly of such a form. Hence when computing (Df )(x0 ) the
 

first and last term vanish and we are left with

m
X
(Df )(x0 ) = (∂i f )(x0 )(Dxi − Dxi0 )(x0 ) = (DX f )(x0 ).
|{z}
i=1
=0

Please do not hesitate to consult your assistant if you need help.

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Homework assignment 3 Differential Geometry I, Fall 2013

Hence Df = DX f everywhere and thus D = DX .

Exercise 1.4. Let c : I → R2 be a regular curve with non-vanishing and strictly monotone geodesic
curvature. Show that c is simple. What would go wrong if we assume weakly monotone instead of strictly
monotone geodesic curvature? Hint: Use the Tait-Kneser theorem.

Solution: By precomposing c with the map −I → I, t 7→ −t if necessary we may assume that κ is strictly
increasing. Now look at the evolute e : I → R2 of c. As in the notes, we see e0 = −(1/κ)0 ic0 . Because κ is
strictly increasing, the term (1/κ)0 vanishes nowhere on I. At the same time, the first Frenet formula tells
us κ = 0 iff c0 is constant, thus there exists no interval [a, b] ⊂ I on which all values e0 (t) for t ∈ [a, b] are
linearly dependent. Hence in the proof of Tait-Kneser from the lecture, Cauchy-Schwarz gives us a strict
inequality: For all a, b ∈ I, a < b we have
Z b Z b
1 1
(4) |e(b) − e(a)| = e0 < |e0 | = − ,
a a κ(a) κ(b)

But then
1 1 1 1
|c(b) − e(a)| ≤ |c(b) − e(b)| + |e(b) − e(a)| < + − = .
κ(b) κ(a) κ(b) κ(a)
Geometrically this means that for fixed a and for b > a, c(b) lies in the interior of the osculating circle at a
and in particular they cannot be equal to c(a). This shows the injectivity of c.
If you only require c to be weakly monotone, the unit speed parametrization of the unit circle R → R2 , t 7→
(cos(t), sin(t)) is a counter-example, having constant geodesic curvature but not being simple. The above
proof does not work, because we cannot reach a strict inequality in (4), as e = 0 is constant, hence e0 = 0.

Exercise 1.5. [Not examinable] Give a proof of the following lemma.

R 2π
Lemma 1.1 (Wirtinger’s inequality). Let f ∈ C 1 (R) be 2π-periodic. Assume that 0
f = 0. Then
Z 2π Z 2π
2
f ≤ (f 0 )2
0 0

with equality if and only if f ∈ spanR {cos(t), sin(t)}.

Hint: Fourier series and Parseval’s identity.

Solution: A proof may be found in [1].

Exercise 1.6. [Equality case in the isoperimetric inequality] Let D ⊂ R2 be a simple planar domain such
that 4πarea(D) = length(∂D)2 . Show that D is a ball. Hint: Trace through the proof of the isoperimetric
inequality from class.

Solution: First, we repeat the proof of the isoperimetric inequality from class. Then we fill in the details
that characterize the equality case. Let D ⊂ R2 be a a simple planar domain. This means it is the bounded
component of the complement of the trace of a simple closed curve c = (x, y) : R → R2 which is L-periodic.
We can assume that c is a unit speed periodic curve such that D lies to the left. When composing c with

Please do not hesitate to consult your assistant if you need help.

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Homework assignment 3 Differential Geometry I, Fall 2013

the diffeomorphism R2 → R2 , x 7→ λx for λ > 0, both sides of the isoperimetric inequality scale with λ2 as
the length L of c scales with λ. Thus we may assume L = 2π.

By Green’s theorem and Cauchy-Schwarz,

Z Z Z 2π
2 area(D) = d(xdy − ydx) = −ydx + xdy = c∗ (−ydx + xdy)
D ∂D 0
Z 2π Z 2π Z 2π 1/2 Z 2π 1/2
= −yx0 + xy 0 ≤ |(−y, x)| · |(x0 , y 0 )| ≤ x2 + y 2 (x0 )2 + (y 0 )2
0 0 0 0
Z 2π 1/2
= x2 + y 2 (2π)1/2 .
0

where we note that in the second Cauchy-Schwarz inequality we have equality if the functions |c| = |(x, y)| =
|(−y, x)| and |(x0 , y 0 )| = 1 are positive scalar multiples of one another, that is |c| is constant. By a preliminary
translation of D we can arrange that
Z 2π Z 2π
(5) x=0= y.
0 0

Using Wirtinger’s inequality, we continue to estimate

Z 2π 1/2
2 area(D) ≤ (2π)1/2 (x0 )2 + (y 0 )2 = 2π
0

or, equivalently, that

(6) 4π area(D) ≤ length(∂D)2 .

If equality holds in (6), then all the preceding inequalities in the proof are equalities as well. In particular,
we have |c| is constant. This means exactly that the trace of c lies on a circle with center at the origin. By
assumption, c is a simple closed curve that traces out the boundary of D. It follows that D is a ball with
center at the origin.

2. Project

I posted lecture notes “Differential Geometry of Euclidean space I” to the course webpage. The treatment of
differential forms in these notes is not much in excess of what is covered in Michael Struwe’s beautiful lecture
notes for Analysis II. I will talk about the section on tangent fields (including their action on functions and
the Lie bracket) in class on Monday. I would like you to review the rest of the material on your own, to work
through the examples and exercises, and to communicate your questions to your course assistant (ideally by
posting to the wikispace) before your exercise class. The assistants will prepare based on your feedback to
address your needs best. Please make good use of this opportunity to review and extend your knowledge on
these topics. Also, don’t hesitate to attend office hours to discuss the material with the assistants. We will
use the language of tangent fields and differential forms including basic manipulations (Lie bracket, wedge
product, exterior differentiation, pull- back, etc.) quite a bit. This material is very useful indeed for this
class and for others, and I want you to be comfortable with it. It is also quite fun, and I hope that you will
enjoy it.

Please do not hesitate to consult your assistant if you need help.

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Homework assignment 3 Differential Geometry I, Fall 2013

The assistants may also want to spend some time on finishing their presentation on the Jordan curve theorem.
(You may also consult the paper in the bibliography for full proofs.) The assistants prepare their classes
expecting that you are intimately familiar with the projects and that you have thought about them carefully
already. Their goal is to moderate a discussion that generates a full proof out of your ideas. This is much
harder than lecturing at you and we really try very hard. I admit that last week’s project was quite long. It
was unwise to assign it while you are still getting used to this new style of exercise classes. I apologize for
that.

I have not decided on an exact format for the oral exams yet. Last year, I asked each student to give a six
minute presentation on a particular topic. (There was a list of topics including many of the projects.) Six
minutes are not enough to go into minute details, but it’s perfectly enough to convey exact statements and
the main ideas of the proof, with some detail. I wanted to be convinced that the students could, if pushed,
fill in all the major steps if given more time. That worked really well, for the students and for me.

I included sentences like “Can you think of a simpler proof if...” in the previous project. My goal here is to
help you develop a critical, inquisitive, and personal approach towards the mathematics you are taught. I
would not ask you an open question like that during your exam.

Finally, we are always eager to hear your suggestions and ideas.

References

1. Wikipedia, Wirtinger’s inequality for functions — Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2013, [Online; accessed 12-September-
2013].

Please do not hesitate to consult your assistant if you need help.